The Federer express begins rolling

Roger Federer opened his bid for a sixth successive US Open title by overwhelming teenage wildcard Devin Britton 6-1, 6-3, 7-5 in a first-round match at Flushing Meadows on Friday.

Federer needed only 88 minutes to advance but was down a break in the second and third sets against Britton, an 18-year-old American who won the 2009 NCAA singles title as a freshman and is ranked number 1,370 in the world.

"I didn't drop a set (but it was a) tricky match for me, playing a guy who's got absolutely nothing to lose obviously," said the Swiss world number one.

"I'm here as a five-time defending champion, so it makes it a bit tricky. He did play really well."

The 28-year-old Federer sympathised with his awestruck opponent, who was playing in his first grand slam tournament before a crowd of 23,000 at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"With the success I've had, especially young players right now, they'll always be in awe, maybe, of great players," added Federer.

"That's what happened with me. All of a sudden I was in front of Pete Sampras at Wimbledon and I couldn't believe it."

Federer, who will play 65th-ranked Simon Greul of Germany in the second round, lost only three points on his serve in the opening set, an 18-minute blowout.

'I'm glad that I have those memories'

Kim Clijsters had an enjoyable saunter down memory lane on Monday as she made an emphatic return to grand slam tennis at the US Open.

The 26-year-old, who began her comeback to the tour earlier this month after two years away during which time she gave birth to her first child, crushed Viktoriya Kutuzova of Ukraine 6-1, 6-1 to cruise into the second round.

Clijsters' 2005 US Open triumph is her only grand slam title to date and the Belgian said the memories had come flooding back when she came through the gates at Flushing Meadows.

"During the match it doesn't (affect you), but before, walking down the corridors here and waiting to get on court, it does," she said. "Obviously the situation was a lot different then but you kind of get the whole feeling for it again.

"Just driving up here this morning, just seeing the court and everything, the same memories come back," she said. "But it's nice. I'm glad that I have those memories."

Clijsters beat France's Mary Pierce to win the US Open in 2005 but was unable to defend her title in 2006 due to an injury and had already retired by the time of the 2007 event.

The US Open was the first grand slam event to use the Hawkeye video challenge system in 2006 but Clijsters only had her first experience of it in New York on Monday.

In the second round, Clijsters will play France's Marion Bartoli, whom she beat in her first comeback match, in Cincinnati earlier this month.

Venus digs deep to defeat unseeded Dushevina

Venus Williams had to dig deep to avoid one of the most shocking upsets of her illustrious career as she beat little-known Russian Vera Dushevina 6-7, 7-5, 6-3 in a first-round marathon at the US Open on Monday.

Williams was down a set and a service break before hitting her stride late in the match to overpower the 47th-ranked Dushevina before nearly 24,000 fans on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"I had a lot of help from the fans here," Williams, a two-times winner at Flushing Meadows, said during a courtside interview.

"I felt so much energy from everyone when I was serving to stay in the match in the second set. It feels good to play at home."

The seven-times grand slam winner won the final three games of the second set and first four of the decider against the demoralised 22-year-old Russian.

Williams committed 54 unforced errors and had 10 double faults but won the match in two hours and 43-minutes to set up a second-round date against American Bethanie Mattek-Sands.

Three games into the match Williams was forced to take an injury break because of nagging tendinitis in her left knee.

She emerged with the knee wrapped and played tentatively until her power game resurfaced midway through the second set.

"I'm not one to complain," she said. "Everyone has injuries they're dealing with. I did my best tonight despite anything I was going through.